1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic wire cutting and terminating apparatus of a type that cuts an insulated electric wire, and strips a length of insulation from a respective cut end of the electric wire or a cut piece thereof, terminating the stripped end by applying a crimp-on (or solder-less) terminal for use, for example in a wire harness of a vehicular electrical system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As such a type of automatic wire cutting and terminating apparatus, there has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 8-102354 a both-end terminating apparatus for insulated electric wires.
FIG. 9 is a plan of the both-end terminating apparatus, and FIG. 10, a front view of an essential part of the apparatus.
As illustrated in FIG. 9, a supply station 3 has a large number of wire-feeding tubes 3a, on a base 2. The supply station 3 is provided so that it can freely move in the direction indicated by the arrow e. A rotating arm 4 is provided on the ejection side of the supply station 3, this arm having a clamping means (not shown) for clamping an electrical wire W that is supplied from the supply station 3. The rotating arm 4 can freely swing (rotate) left and right with respect to the base 2, about the axis 5. As a result of the swinging of the rotating arm 4, a head 4a of the arm 4 can be positioned at a reference position H, a maximum-swing work position J, which is at the maximum angle from the reference position H, and at an intermediate work position I, which is between the above-noted reference and maximum-angle positions. The head 4a of the rotating arm 4 is configured so as to be opposite the wire cutter 6A when in the reference position H, opposite the wire insulation stripper 6B when in the intermediate position I, and opposite the terminal-crimping part when at the maximum-angle work position J. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a first transporter 7 is provided on the base 2, this first transporter 7 being freely movable in the directions indicated by the arrows m and n in FIG. 9. Four clamps, 7a through 7d are provided at a uniform mutual spacing on the first transporter 7, the clamp 7a moving between the reference position H and the first work position K, the clamp 7b moving between the first work position K and a second work position L, the clamp 7c moving between the second work position K and a third work position M, and the clamp 7d moving between the third work position M and a fourth work position N. When a moving cylinder 7S is moved to the reference position H along a cylinder rod 7R, the first clamp 7a of the first transporter 7 is brought into opposition with the wire cutter 6A.
A second transporter 8 is also provided at the first work position K of the first transporter 7, this being provided so as to enable free movement thereof in the direction of the arrow p. The second transporter 8 has a clamp 8a, which by moving a clamped wire W in the direction of the arrow p, enables the movement of the wire W to a position opposite an insulation-stripping part 6D. A third transporter 9 is provided at the second work position L of the first transporter 7, this being freely movable in the direction of the arrow q. The third transporter 9 has a clamp 9a which moves in the direction of the arrow q, so as to move a clamped wire W to a position opposite a terminal-crimping part 6E.
A clamp 6F is provided at the third work position M and a fourth clamp 7d is provided at the fourth work position N of the first transporter 7.
In the above-described mechanism, a wire W is supplied by the supply station 3 to the rotating arm 4, the supplied wire W being clamped by a clamping means (not shown), and the end of the wire W being set in a position so that it protrudes from the head 4a of the rotating arm 4. Next, the wire W that protrudes from the head 4a of the rotating arm 4 is cut by the wire cutter 6A, and the rotating arm 4 rotates from the reference position H to the intermediate work position 1. Next, the insulation covering of the cut end of the wire W is stripped by the wire insulation stripper 6B, and the rotating arm rotates from the intermediate work position I to the maximum-angle work position J. Next, a terminal is crimped onto the conductor of the wire W by the terminal crimper 6C, at which point the rotating arm 4 returns from the maximum-angle work position J to the reference position H, thereby completing the process of terminating one end of the wire W.
When the rotating arm 4 returns to the reference position H, the first transporter 7 moves in the direction of the arrow m, the first clamp 7a being positioned at the reference position H, and a prescribed amount of the wire W being pulled out from the head 4a of the rotating arm 4, This extended wire W is clamped by the first clamp 7a of the first transporter 7, the first clamp 7 moving in the direction of arrow n, so that the first clamp 7a is moved to the first work position K. Next, the clamp 8a of the second transporter 8 re-clamps the wire W and moves in the direction of the arrow p, so that the wire W is moved to the region of the insulation stripper 6D.
Next, the insulation stripper 6D strips the insulation covering from the other end of the wire W, after which the second transporter 8 returns to its original position. Next, the second clamp 7b of the first transporter 7 moves to the first work position K, and the second clamp 7b re-clamps the wire W. Next, the first transporter 7 moves in the direction of the arrow n, so that the second clamp 7b is moves to the second work position L. Next, the clamp 9a of the third transporter 9 re-clamps the wire W, and moves in the direction of the arrow q, so that the wire W is moved to the region of the terminal crimper 6E.
Next, the terminal crimper 6E crimps a terminal on to the other end of the wire W, after which the third transporter 9 returns to its original position. Next, the third clamp 7c of the first transporter 7 moves to the second work position, and re-clamps the wire W. Next, the first transporter 7 moves in the direction of the arrow n, so that the third clamp 7c moves to the third work position M. Next, the clamp 6F re-clamps the wire W and the first transporter 7 moves so as to move the wire W to the fourth work position N, the wire ejector 6G ejecting the wire W, which completes the process of terminating the other end of the wire W.
The configuration of the above-described double-end crimping apparatus 1 is such that, when a terminal is crimped onto the first end of the wire W and the head 4a of the rotating arm 4 returns from the maximum-angle work position J to the reference position H, the first clamp 7a of the first transporter 7 moving to the reference position H (the position opposite to the wire cutter 6A as shown in FIG. 9), a prescribed amount of the wire W is pulled out from the head 4a of the rotating arm 4, this extended part of the wire W being clamped by the first clamp 7a and transported to the first work position (the position which at which the other end of the wire W is terminated). However, when the wire W is pulled out from the head 4a of the rotating arm 4 and clamped by the first clamp 7a of the transporter 7, if the head 4a of the rotating arm 4 is returned to the reference position from the maximum-angle work position J and the first clamp 7a of the first transporter 7 simultaneously grabs the first end of the wire W in order to increase production speed, there is a tendency for shaking of the wire W to prevent its being securely grabbed, this resulting in the wire W being missed in the grabbing process, resulting in failed products.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to solve the above-noted drawbacks in the related art, by providing an automatic wire cutting and terminating apparatus wherein, the wire can be securely grabbed simultaneously the return of a wire guide of a wire transporter from a terminal crimper to a cutting and stripping unit, thereby enabling the elimination of failed products and the reduction of the production time.